The Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) Prince William Health District will be giving 900 free flu shots via drive-thru clinic, rain or shine, on Saturday, October 13, 2012 from 10 AM to 2 PM to people age 3 and over, at the following location:

“Influenza is a serious disease that everyone should be vaccinated for annually. The vaccine gives the vaccinated person the best chance to fight the flu,” said Alison Ansher, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Prince William Health District.

Influenza, or “the flu,” is a highly-contagious respiratory disease. Typical flu symptoms include fever, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle aches, and extreme fatigue. The flu season in northern Virginia usually peaks in January and February. Each year in the United States approximately 200,000 people are hospitalized due to flu illness, and flu-related deaths range from 3,000 to 49,000 each year -- averaging 24, 000 -- over the last three decades.

Annual vaccination is especially recommended for the following high-risk groups:

Persons at high risk for complications, including children ages six months to five years, pregnant women, people 50 years of age and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions, and people who live in nursing homes and other long term care facilities.

People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications, including household contacts of persons at high risk, household contacts and caregivers of children less than six months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated), and health care workers.

For more information on the drive-thru clinic, call the Prince William Health District at (703) 792-6345. For further information on influenza, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov.